Rack-and-pinion device.



F. E. MANN.

RACK AND PlNlON DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-14, 1914.

1,145,157. Patented July 6,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- WHMemo Morm- CCCCCC IA PLANOGWI! CO, WASHINGTON. D- C.

F. E. MANN. RACK AND PINION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 14, 1914.

1,145,157. Patented July 6,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

amen 01 Wbtmeooeo OOLUMBXA PLANOGRARH CO" WASHINGTON. I). c.

F. E. MANN.

RACK AND PINION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1914 1,145,157. Patented July 6,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

q vi tmeoow DOLL'MBIA PLANOGRARH $0.. WASHINGTON. u c.

FRANK E. MANN, OF GAI-IANNA, OHIO.

RACK-AND-PINION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1915.

Application filed January 14, 1914. Serial No. 812,065.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gahanna, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rack-and-Pinion Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the ac companying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in rack and pinion devices and has for its object to provide a device of this general character having novel and im proved means whereby rotary motion may be converted, with convenience and facility, into reciprocatory movement.

Still another object of the invention resides in providing a device which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be .very eflicient and useful in operation.

lWith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section therethrough. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same with parts in section.

Fig. 4: is a detail elevation of the parts in closed within the casing, the front wall of said casing being removed. Fig. 5 is a section through the lower end of one of the reciprocating rods; and Fig. 6 is a section as seen on line 66, Fig. 4.

In describing my invention, I shall refer to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which 1 indicates a receptacle or chamber, into which the garments to be cleansed are adapted to be placed, the top of which has disposed therethrough the reciprocating rods 2 and 3, the latter being arranged in spaced alinement with one another and provided at their lower ends with spring forced telescoping sections 4. Secured to the lower ends of these sections 4 are pairs of compressed air stampers or pounders 5 which, when engaged with the garments, as said rods 2 and 3 are reciprocated, will thoroughly scour the former. The upper ends of these rods 2 and 3 are provided on their inner opposed faces with the rack teeth 6 and a guide frame 7 mounted on the top of the receptacle 1, through which said rods 2 and 3 are disposed, has rotatably mounted therein the gears 8 and 9 which, respectively, mesh with the teeth of the rods 2 and 3. Also mounted in the upper end of the guide frame 7, between the gears 8 and 9, is an additional gear 10, the teeth of which mesh with said gears 8 and 9.

I have provided for the oscillation of the gear 10, whereby the rods 2 and 3 will be constantly reciprocated during the operation of the device, and to this end, a stationary extension 11 is provided, at the upper end of one side wall of the housing or body 1. Mounted on the extension 11, is a frame 12, the upper end of which has a casing or the like 13 mounted thereon to inclose therein a rotating pinion 1 1 and a guide pulley or roller 15 and vertically slidable through the casing 13, is a rack bar 16, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of the pinion 14 and the opposite side edge of which contacts with the periphery of the roller or pulley 15. This roller or pulley 15, therefore, acts as a retaining roller for the reciprocating rack bar 16 as the same is engaged with said pinion 14 and it must here be stated that said pinion 14 is carried on a horizontal shaft 17 which extends above the top of the device and carries thereon, the additional gear 10 hereabove referred to. The lower end of said rack bar 16 connects eccentrically, through the medium of a'link 18, with an enlarged gear 19, the latter being rotatably mounted on a shaft 20 on the extension 11. This gear 19 extends through a slot 21 formed in the extension 11, which allows the link 18 to have its full motion therethrough as the gear 19 is rotated. As will be seen from the drawings, the link 18 may be adjusted to various points on the gear 19 so that various length strokes may be obtained, as desired. Also rotatably mounted in hearings on the extension 11, is an additional shaft 22, which extends beyond the side edge of the extension and has a fly wheel 23 carried thereon. A pinion 24 is also carried on said shaft 22, the same meshing with a gear 25 carried on a shaft 26, the latter projecting beyond the one side edge of the extension. A link 27 which is eccentrically mounted on the outer face of the gear 25, connects to a lever 28, which is pivoted at its lower end to the side edge of the extension 11 and an additional gear 29 loosely carried on the inner end of the aforesaid shaft 22 meshes with the first mentioned enlarged gear 19. It will thus be seen from this construction that as the lever 28 is oscillated on its pivot, the gear 19 will be caused to rotate through the intermediate means and thus reciprocate the rack bar 16 and this reciprocating movement of the latter bar obviously causes the pinion 14: to be rotated in first one direction and then the other. In this manner, the shaft 17 is caused to be rotated in one direction and then the other and through the connection of the first mentioned sets of gears, the rods 2 and 3 will be reciprocated. Thus a reciprocatory movement is transmitted from a rotary motion.

Mounted at the one end of the body or housing 1, at the upper portion thereof, is a wringer 30 consisting of the usual rollers and adjunctive parts. The shaft of one roller is extended slightly and provided with a bevel gear 31 and an'additional shaft 32 extending longitudinally along the upper edge of the housing or body is also provided with a bevel gear 33 in mesh therewith. The opposite end of said shaft is provided with an additional bevel gear 34: which meshes with a gear 35 carried on the inner end of the aforesaid shaft 22. Slidably mounted on the shaft 22 but adapted to rotate therewith is a clutch member 36 adapted to coact with the clutch face 37 carried by the pinion 29 whereby the wringer 30 may operate while the remainder of the mechanism is idle. lVhile the clutch member 36 may be adjusted longitudinally of the shaft 22 in any desired manner, I herein disclose a conventional yoke 38 pivotally supported intermediate its length by the stationary extension 11 and adapted to have its forked extremity received within the annular groove 39 produced in the periphery of the member 36 whereby it will be perceived that the clutch member 36 may be adjusted into or out of engagement with the clutch face 37 upon requisite rocking movement being imparted to the yoke 38.

From the foregoing description of the Having thus described this invention,

what is claimed is In combination with a suitable foundation, a guide frame supported by the foui1dation a predetermined distance thereabove, rods projecting through the frame adjacent opposite ends thereof, the opposed faces of the rods being each formed into a rack surface, a gear train'mounted within the frame between the rods, the outermost gears of said train being in mesh with the rack surfaces of the rods, a casing supported by and above the foundation to one side of the frame, spaced wheels mounted within the casing, one of said wheels being agear wheel, an operative connection between the gear wheel of the casing and an intermediate gear of the gear train, a rod directed through the casing and between the wheels therein, said rod being provided with a rack surface in mesh with the gear wheel, a driven shaft supported by the foundation, a gear fixed to said driven shaft, an operative connection between said last named gear and the last named rod whereby said rod is reciprocated upon rotation of the driven shaft, and a driving shaft rotatably supported by the foundation and op'eratively engaged with the gear on the driven shaft.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E. MANN.

Witnesses: 1

F. M. MEOARTNEY, AMELIA JARNNEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

